For at least two years, starting in 2011, the four biggest basketball programs in Indiana will, once again, have late-fall clash. The Crossroads Classic was announced Monday, pitting Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame and Butler against each other. I'm a honk for all things that convene local teams against each other on an annual basis. Hell, anything resembling a bracket usually gets my adrenaline going. But this isn't a round-robin in a single ... Read More

For the third consecutive year ESPN will give us college hoophead diehards a treat by broadcasting games for 24 consecutive hours. The made-for-TV event, titled "College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon," runs throughout the course of Tuesday, Nov. 16. Man ... it's so easy to type that with such restraint right now. I blame it entirely on the month of August. When October rolls around, my excitement will not be curtailed. This marathon ... Read More

One of the biggest events of the early part of the college basketball season has been set. The ESPN-infused ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchups were released this week, and it'll once again be highlighted by whomever Michigan State ends up playing. For the first time in five years, it'll be Duke. Both teams will be in the top five of most preseason polls. Yes, both of those teams made the Final Four ... Read More

In both games a non-BCS school flirted with winning its first national title. In both games a traditional powerhouse — a blueblood, a favorite — was taking on said non-BCS school. In one game, a late lead was choked away. In another, it almost happened. And in one game a shot in the final seconds of regulation created a top-10 all-time March moment. In the other, it almost happened. So which do you take? ... Read More

Jerome Dyson, Gavin Edwards and Stanley Robinson played miserably, but was Jim Calhoun justified in keeping them on the pine for the final 16 minutes of the game? Did that truly cost UConn?

—UPSET—Louisville 78, No. 1 Syracuse 68. We've got the feel-good story from Saturday and it's got nothing to do with a small school getting a dance bid. While at the post-game presser last week for Louisville's win over UConn, Rick Pitino said Kyle Kuric was a reliable option for the Cards. Just one of those quotes that gets buried. An afterthought. Then Kuric goes out, scores all of his career-high ... Read More

Before postseason play begins each year we get about five games that a longlasting and memorable. Maryland's 79-72 Senior Night victory over hated Duke is one of those games for us this season. (As you read, think about the other ones from 2009-10 that would join it.) With bullets, let me list off my reaction from the victory. • Don't get too high on Maryland. This was a great win, and I've liked ... Read More

I'm not even going to address the surefire teams that are playing tonight and will be in The Tournament (and there are a few interesting games there, too). These are the games with only bubble impact. Last night, I used an interest level, tonight, it's another arbitrary measuring tool: urgency for each team. Temple-Saint Louis. Temple is securely in but Saint Louis needs to win out and lose in overtime of ... Read More

Tomorrow I'm going cover a lot of what has to be done for these teams to remain alive, but here's a list of pretty much every bubble game of consequence from Saturday. Writing this from press row at Louisville-UConn, so the analysis will be brief. I'm sure you prefer it that way. Saint Bonaventure 81, Rhode Island 74. No team suffered a worse loss Saturday. This about let all the air ... Read More

Did you miss any of the drama and upsets from last night? If so, come on in.

And here's my faulty reasoning. Remember when the University of Florida basketball program received its first No. 1 ranking some years back? (My God, I can't believe it's been almost seven years.) It was big news at Florida. The team was on a high. That week, ESPN was broadcasting Florida walking into Rupp and trying to prove its worth against one of the most storied programs in the history of the ... Read More

Love that these Saturdays with so many games are back. They make for a pain in the ass when it comes to recaps, but all the action is well worth it. Entrenched in the middle of another season we are, and it feels damn cozy. — Did North Carolina showed any signs of improvement in losing 73-71 to Georgia Tech? Sure, after losing 24-8 early — just like they did against ... Read More

It was a wild Saturday, and while you could pick six or seven results as the headliner, I'll go with the top two, the only undefeated teams left, nearly falling. First, Texas. The Longhorns are beginning to wobble. They never led until overtime of their 72-67 win over 12-5, underrated Texas A&M. Damion James, he who had 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, including a swat that thwarted A&M's chance to ... Read More

What a loaded Saturday. And we haven't really gotten into the thick of the season yet. Will the results below have long-term effects for postseason bids? In most cases, only minimally. But the landscape of D-I was fairly consistent in one aspect: Road wins did not come easily. They normally don't. Let's inspect the scores.

Let's get right to it. Syracuse falling by 10 at home to Pittsburgh, 82-72, was probably the biggest story of the day. While at the URI-Oklahoma State game, people's reaction of this was a collective double-take. Syracuse fans, some of the most pessimistic-yet-righteous fans of all, actually want to lay blame on the officials for this one. Kansas made the biggest statement Saturday. Temple likes to keep the points low, it just ... Read More

Georgetown, Gonzaga and Tennessee's flops. It's entirely possible no Saturday for the remainder of the season will feature as many top-25 teams in action as what we saw yesterday. If you missed anything, it's all detailed after the jump.

Most of my weekend was spent getting a Christmas tree, buying Christmas ornaments, buying Christmas lights and watching the Bears get swept by the Packers. I did manage to squeeze in some hoops viewing, but it was more about pleasing the lady, you know? Gotta put in the hours now so I can have some credit January-March.

A quick word on college football. While we all are forced to accept that Texas gets to play for a national championship, remember that today is the BCS Selection Show. Is there ANY anticipation? Of. Course. Not. Thirteen weeks from now, everyone will be giddy over the Selection Show and all the possibilities of matchups. College football, you fail us all. Yesterday was a great day for games, but the season ... Read More